I am on the fence about k-cups. I use to make a partial pot of coffee at work in the drip machine. Sometimes I would drink it all, often they would be a cup of two left. As well it would sit hot for at least three or more hours each day. I did a calculation at one point the energy used and wastage of a k-cup vs drip machine. It was not even close over a year. I had to estimate the energy for the cup itself but the k-cup used about a quarter of the energy as it was only on during the making of the coffee and you would only make what you wanted. No wastage.
Simply put, the k-cup resulted in about 1/4 the carbon footprint of drip coffee in my situation. Personally I think people didn’t really think this thru well and just jumped on it as being wasteful without doing any calculations.
Nothing beats a fully automatic espresso machine when it comes to efficiency. Want an espresso, large coffee or any of the other things it can prepare, and it is made with the parameters you want. The only non organic waste is the packaging of the coffee beans, which isn’t too bad, as they usually come in 500g of 1kg packs.
Some even have 2 beans containers for when you want to have different flavors, and almost all have a chute for a portion of ground coffee for the occasional special drink (decaffeinated or so, for visitors for example)
There are special versions for high usage locations, and those often come with a maintenance contract. That should keep the coffee flowing for all to enjoy.
The models intended for home use probably won’t last very long if you brew 100 coffees a day with them.
I am on the fence about k-cups. I use to make a partial pot of coffee at work in the drip machine. Sometimes I would drink it all, often they would be a cup of two left. As well it would sit hot for at least three or more hours each day. I did a calculation at one point the energy used and wastage of a k-cup vs drip machine. It was not even close over a year. I had to estimate the energy for the cup itself but the k-cup used about a quarter of the energy as it was only on during the making of the coffee and you would only make what you wanted. No wastage.
Simply put, the k-cup resulted in about 1/4 the carbon footprint of drip coffee in my situation. Personally I think people didn’t really think this thru well and just jumped on it as being wasteful without doing any calculations.
A wasted pot of coffee doesn’t produce a shitload of plastic
But it produces far more greenhouse gasses. Which is far worse.
Alright but the one time use kcups accumulate tons of plastics
What is worse? Creating far more green house gases or reducing your plastic usage by a small percentage?
Personally if using a k-cup decreases my green house gas emission by 75 percent, then it only takes a bit of critical thinking to use it.
Nothing beats a fully automatic espresso machine when it comes to efficiency. Want an espresso, large coffee or any of the other things it can prepare, and it is made with the parameters you want. The only non organic waste is the packaging of the coffee beans, which isn’t too bad, as they usually come in 500g of 1kg packs.
Some even have 2 beans containers for when you want to have different flavors, and almost all have a chute for a portion of ground coffee for the occasional special drink (decaffeinated or so, for visitors for example)
Edit: typo
I like them but not great at work. People will plug them up in a week.
There are special versions for high usage locations, and those often come with a maintenance contract. That should keep the coffee flowing for all to enjoy.
The models intended for home use probably won’t last very long if you brew 100 coffees a day with them.
Every drip machine I’ve used has a 2 hour shutoff
Not when your drinking it periodically at work. You will reset that unless you want for coffee at noon.